Doctor's Orders
by SniperCT
Summary: After weeks of combat and rescue operations, Pharah is all but dead on her feet and wondering if it's all actually worth it. Sequel to Game Night.


_**(based on an anon prompt, sequel to Game Night)**_

True to form, Lena's game night had been the last bit of relaxation any of them got for some time. A sudden uptick in violence, activity from Talon, and a brewing Omnic crisis had kept them all busy. An earthquake three days ago had led to eighteen hours of search and rescue. Fareeha couldn't remember the last time she'd slept for more than two hours at a time. She hadn't fully removed her armor in days - they could be on the move at any moment, and it was simply easier to stay in it.

She was a walking zombie, but she stubbornly refused to stand down. She could be needed. She needed to be ready. Sometimes she didn't know what she was ready for, and sometimes, when the news would slam their every move, she wondered if it was even worth it. She kept going back to her talk with Mercy, about the old days of overwatch and how it had all ended. What was to stop them from repeating the same mistakes?

Twelve hours into a breather period, and fresh from an hour nap, Pharah headed out to run a patrol. They couldn't be too careful. Most of their bases were makeshift, with only the barest essentials. Their current hide-out was a little better than most. It even had a bath, much to Lena's delight. It was almost too much luxury, after two weeks of fighting at hotspots around the world.

Rubbing her face, and then pulling her faceplate helmet on, Pharah resumed her patrol. Something moved to her right, and she turned, finger on the trigger of her rocket launcher. Only it wasn't a soldier or a Talon operative. It was a girl, maybe twelve years old, holding a checkered soccer ball. Pharah lowered her weapon and sagged against a fence. She'd almost…

She sank to the ground, and leaned her head against her weapon. Was this what it came to? Nearly blowing up innocent children? No sleep, nothing but work, hounded and attacked in the media. Pharah tried to think of the people they'd helped. The people they'd saved. It was the people that she needed to be ready for, ready to help.

The ball bounced over, stopping at her feet, and she looked up as the girl approached. She picked up the ball, then came over and plonked down on the ground next to Pharah. "I like your armor, it's really cool."

"Thank you. I maintain it myself." It hadn't used to be that way, but when she'd joined Overwatch, she'd had to leave behind her tech crew. Though Winston did help quite a bit. "Well. With a little help."

"I saw you on the news. When there was that earthquake. The lady on tv wasn't very nice. My da said that you were good people. That you were helping all those people that had been hurt" She rolled the ball between her legs as she spoke, staring at it more than looking at Pharah.

"Did he now?"

"Yep. My da says he used to work with Overwatch. Delivered supplies. Mum says we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for people like you. You're heroes!"

Pharah lifted her head, looking more closely at the girl. "I haven't been with them long, but the people I know and work with, they really are heroes."

"You're a hero too. I want to be just like you, some day." The girl got up, giving Pharah a short, tight hug, before running off. She kicked her ball along, arms stretched out as she pretended to fly.

Something made Pharah's vision blurry, and she blinked her eyes to clear them.

"There yer are."

Torbjorn voice snapped her out of it, at least a little bit. She looked up at him. "I was resting."

"Chatting with the wee locals, that's all right. Mercy sent me to find yer. She wanted yer opinion on something." Torbjorn prosthetic hand spun about in a circle. "Yer best hurry, don't want to keep the good doctor waiting!"

"Is she all right?" Pharah climbed to her feet.

"She's fine, but I think she's worried about yer."

"I'm not a child, I don't need to be babysat."

"Whoa!" He held up his hands, his left spinning again. "Yer the one saying that, not me! But yer do need ta rest. We've got a good thing going here. Take advantage of it while yer can. World ain't going to go to hell in a handbasket if yer clean up and sleep a little."

Pharah frowned, but turned to walk back the way she'd come. No sooner had she re-entered the building then she was confronted by a very stern looking Doctor Ziegler. "Angela, I-"

Angela took Pharah's hand and pulled her into one of the bed room. "Take your armor off, Fareeha, and get into bed. Doctor's Orders."

"Shouldn't you buy me dinner first?" Fareeha asked, setting her helmet aside. She was rewarded by Angela's face turning bright red, and more than anything else that eased the tension in her shoulders.

Clearing her throat, Angela started to help Fareeha with her armor. She hyper focused on the task at hand, though she asked, "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"I wouldn't mind playing Twister again."

Angela smacked her in the shoulder, then rested her hand on Fareeha's arm. "Every time I get a moment, I keep thinking to that night. How nice it was to relax with you and the others." And the kiss, definitely the kiss, but Angela was too embarrassed to vocalize that.

"I've been thinking about the conversation we had." Freed of about half her Raptora suit, Fareeha rolled her shoulders. Angela was momentarily distracted, but tore her eyes from Fareeha's arms.

"I was just having a low moment," Angela said. "The contrast…"

Fareeha put a finger over Angela's mouth. "Let me finish."

Nodding, Angela knelt to help Fareeha out of her boots and leg armor.

"And I wondered if we were going to repeat past mistakes. If people hated us so much. But then I met someone, this little girl." Fareeha's voice took on an air of wonderment. "And we were her heroes. _I was her hero_. And if we can inspire people, help them, then it is worth it."

Angela pushed Fareeha down onto the bed. "You can't inspire anyone if you are exhausted beyond all reason." She sat down next to her, and bumped their shoulders together. "Are we heroes?"

"Yes." Fareeha wrapped an arm around Angela, laying down and pulling her with her. Exhaustion had suddenly caught up with her. "But you're right. We need to rest."

"I have work to do," Angela protested.

"You want me to rest?"

"Of course."

Fareeha's arm tightened around Angela. "Then you rest too."

Head cushioned on Fareeha's shoulder, Angela sighed. She wasn't getting out of this, and honestly she wasn't about to try. "Fareeha, you need a bath."

Snorting, Fareeha retorted, "You don't smell much better, Angela."

Smiling against Fareeha's skin, Angela closed her eyes. "Lena says the bath is big enough for two."

Fareeha made a choking sound, before exhaling slowly as she tried to regain her composure. There was no safe place to hide, so she simply lifted her other arm and covered her eyes with it. "You're lucky I'm so tired."

"Sleep," Angela murmured.

"You started it." Fareeha grinned, turning her head to look down at unkempt blonde hair. "I'd like to try that date."

'Dinner," Angela said into a yawn. "After we rest. Six hours, at least."

"Doctor's orders?"

"Doctor's orders."


End file.
